The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to an information handling system with a power excursion tolerant power system.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
A number of factors exists and/or are developing in IHSs that raise issues with regard to the demand for power (e.g., associated with throughput of data processing) and the supply of power. For example, processor power usage has continually been trending upwards, and the use of graphics processors and similar devices as co-processors increases throughput of data processing, but with the associated need for a higher supply of power. In another example, processor “turbo mode” operation has been implemented in processors to increase performance by increasing the internal clock frequency for relatively short periods of time, and can cause processors to consume, for example, twice their rated direct current (DC) power consumption, which can place an appreciable load on the power system. In yet another example, shared-infrastructure platforms (e.g., blade and/or other modular platforms) place an emphasis on density and cost, which may be achieved by sizing the power subsystems to meet the typical needs of the system, rather than the worst-case scenarios, which can raise a number of issues.
For example, conventional power systems include an output overload protection scheme that monitors and compares the output of the power supply to a fixed reference overload condition. If the output of the power supply exceeded the fixed reference overload condition, such as when a worst-case power scenario occurs, the power supply disables its output to protect the IHS and the power supply, resulting in shutdown of the power supply and IHS, and is accompanied by the associated possibility of IHS data loss.
In order to avoid shutdown and possible data loss, conventional IHS power systems are selected to meet all power loading conditions of the IHS. Thus, short duration, peak power loading conditions like those discussed above require the power system to be oversized for the majority of system loads in order to prevent power supply shut down in peak power situations, resulting in the power system being costlier and less efficient that a power system that is sized for the majority of situations the IHS will encounter.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved IHS power system.